As shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/841,912 for a Mailing Machine Including Short Sheet Length Detecting Means, filed Feb. 25, 1992 by Alton B. Eckert, Jr. et. al., now U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,109, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, it is known in the art to provide a mailing machine with means for sensing a sheet in a path of travel, and with a microprocessor programmed for determining whether the overall length of the sheet corresponds to a minimum overall length by counting the time interval the sheet is disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing means and comparing that time interval to a predetermined time period for feeding a sheet of acceptable length. Although such structure is suitable for use in some mailing machines it is not suitable for use in all mailing machines, for example, in a mailing machine wherein the geometry of the machine is such that the distance between two sensors of the machine, which are utilized for measuring a sheet length, is less than the minimum acceptable sheet length, or sheets are fed through the machine at different speeds. Accordingly:
an object of the invention is to provide a mailing machine including sheet feeding and printing structure, and including means for discriminating between sheets of different lengths for processing purposes;
another object is to provide a mailing machine including overrideable means for discriminating between sheets having an acceptable or unacceptable minimum length for processing; and
another object is to provide a mailing machine including two speed sheet feeding means in combination with overrideable means for differently processing sheets of different lengths.